I dropped my hands and shimmied my panties down my hips, kicking them to the side. “Take care of that, will you?”
He dropped to his knees in front of me, sliding my dress to my waist, and pressing his mouth to my clit. “Spread, baby.”
I spread my legs a little more and he wrapped one arm around me to hold me still. He thrust two fingers inside of me, sucking my clit until he’d apparently decided I’d had enough. He stood, lifting me in his arms, carrying me back into the office and laying me on the sofa. He tapped one of my knees and I dropped it so he could return to what he was doing before. God, what this man could do with his tongue. I tilted my hips in an effort to get closer.
“Greedy,” he said, and slipped his fingers inside me again.
I felt my climax build as his mouth covered my center and I gripped his hair as my orgasm hit. Austin kissed my inner thighs, slid his fingers out of me and rose to his feet. I watched through hooded eyes as he walked into the bathroom and washed up.
I COULD BARELY move, but I managed to slide my dress back down to cover my nakedness and roll onto my side. He walked back toward me and I saw the rock hard evidence of his arousal pressing against his zipper, but I was disappointed to discover that we weren’t going any further. At least not right at the moment.
“I have to get back downstairs,” he said, and sat down next to me. He stroked my cheek and smiled. “More of this later.”
“I want to yell at you right now, but I can’t move. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be back to fighting form.”
Austin grinned, leaning down to kiss me quickly. “If you need anything, press the button by the door. Someone will assist you. But no one will let you leave, Dani, so don’t bother trying.”
“See? Now you’re pissing me off again.” I scowled. “You’re essentially keeping me prisoner and not telling me why.”
He sighed and rose to his feet. “I have to go.”
“Fine, go.” I closed my eyes and forced back my frustration as he walked out the door.
I didn’t get up until my bladder insisted I move, so I did. After that, I wandered back into the bar area, found my panties, and slid them back on. Surveying the racks of alcohol, I found what looked like really good Tequila and opened the bottle. Common sense would have suggested I pour a shot or two, or even mix the spirit with coke, however, I wasn’t feeling very common sensy, so I decided to drink directly from the bottle. And it was fantastic.
I’d taken a couple of long pulls from the bottle and figured I should find some food, so I pressed the little button by the door. Then I pressed it again and again, giggling maniacally as I did it again… then once more, just for fun.
“You only need to ring once, Miss Harris,” a female voice came through the little speaker above the button. “What can I get for you?”
“Well, since I’m drinking, I think I should eat something.”
“Good idea. What would you like?”
I bit my lip. “Filet mignon, medium rare with braised asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes.”
“As you wish.”
“Wait, I was kidding,” I jumped to say. “Can you really do that?”
“We can do whatever you’d like, Miss Harris.”
“How about some hummus and pita.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you,” I said, and sat back on the sofa, taking another swig of my delicious drink.
Ten minutes later, the door opened, and a young, good-looking man walked in with my food. I saw the open door and glanced at him.
He smiled. “Please don’t try, Miss Harris. You won’t get far and you’ll just make Mr. Carver angry.”
I scowled. “I think I could take you.”
“You could try.” He chuckled. “I see you found the Barrique de Ponciano Porfidio.”
“Huh?”
He pointed to the bottle of tequila.
“Oh, yes,” I said. “The tequila.”
“The two-thousand-dollar bottle of tequila.”
“Shut up!”
He chuckled. “Enjoy your refreshments, Miss Harris.”
And then he was gone. I flopped back onto the sofa and grabbed a piece of flatbread, scooping the warm hummus onto it and devouring it within seconds. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever tasted anything better and I knew it wasn’t just because I was rapidly approaching drunkenness. It was damn good food.
I took another few bites before sitting back and evaluating my current state. I decided it would be a good idea to take a break from the tequila and maybe rest a bit. My head was foggy and I was no longer feeling tipsy and happy. I was rapidly approaching drunk… that is, if I wasn’t already… and I was back to feeling frustrated and angry.
I couldn’t believe that Austin would just leave me here. He had no right. I walked to the button again and this time a man’s voice came over the loudspeaker.
“Will someone let me know when I’ll be released from my cell?” I asked.
“Mister Carver didn’t give me that information, Miss Harris. I’m sorry.”
“Well, tell Aus—Mister Carver that if someone doesn’t fill me in on what the hell is going on, I’m going to call my brother.”
No one responded, so I decided to give them five minutes before I was going to pull out my cell phone and call down the wrath of Dani in the form of Elliot Harris, badass detective with a heart of gold. I giggled at the thought. Maybe I should switch careers. Be an ad person. My brilliance was obviously wasted on five year olds.
I was pulled from my thoughts when Austin walked into the room. “What the fuck, Dani?”
“You got my message I see,” I slurred, swaying a little on my feet.
“I can’t deal with you right now.”
“Then let me go home!” I snapped.
He swept past me and grabbed my purse. Taking my cell phone out of it, he slid the device into his pocket.
“What are you doing?” I squeaked.
“Protecting you from yourself.”
I forced back tears of frustration. “I hate you so much right now.”
He sighed. Making his way to the door, he opened it, handed my phone to who the hell knows, nodded, and then closed the door again. He pulled me into his arms and stroked my hair. “I know you don’t get what’s happening, baby, and if I could explain it, I would. But I need you to trust me.” He lifted my chin. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”
“By having me locked up in a strange place?”
“By having you close.” He cupped my cheek. “Please, Dani. Trust that I’ve got your back. Kim’s safe—”
“Was she not safe before?” I demanded.
“That’s something I wasn’t willing to find out. Mack’s got her.”
I snorted. “Knowing Kim, Mack’s probably tied up to the bed while she fucks him senseless.”
Austin burst out laughing. “Babe.”
“What? It’s true. She’s perfect and awesome and sweet, but she loves sex and she goes through men like underwear.” I shrugged. “They love every minute of it, but she doesn’t tend to stay with one guy for very long.”
“Well, knowing Mack, he’ll be happy to oblige whatever fantasy she can dream up.”
I licked my lips. “Can I really not go home?”
“Not right now. I will make this up to you, but if you’ll just be patient for a little while longer, I’d appreciate it.”
“I drank your two-thousand-dollar tequila.”
“I know.”
“You’re not mad?”
He smiled. “No, baby, I’m not mad. Just pace yourself.”
“It made me tired.”
“I bet.”
“It also made me horny.” I bit my lip, sliding my hand under the waistband of his trousers.
“Fuck, baby,” he rasped, grabbing my wrist. “I can’t do this right now.”
“Five minutes,” I argued.
“No.” He cupped my face. “One, I’m not having our first night together be when you’re w
asted out of your mind and, two, I have shit to do.” He turned away from me and opened a cabinet door against the wall. Pulling out a blanket and pillow, he dropped them on the sofa and then closed the distance between us again. “Hydrate, Dani, okay? If you get tired, go to sleep. I don’t know how long this is going to take. If you want to watch television, do so. Do your best to make yourself at home and if you need anything, press the button. But try not to pull me away again, yeah? I need to focus.”
“Fine. Go.” I pulled away and flopped onto the couch.
He sighed again and leaned down. “Rest, baby. You’ll feel better once you sleep off the alcohol.”
“Do I need to remind you of the fact you’re not the boss of me?” I asked.
Austin smiled. “God, you’re gorgeous.”
“Don’t get all cute and sexy right now, Austin Carver. I’m not in the mood.”
He kissed my forehead. “Forgive me. I’ll see you in a bit.”
I waved my hand in the air and stuck my tongue out at him. “’Bye. Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.”
He grinned and walked out the door.
BOOKER LOCKED THE door behind him and nodded to one of his youngest recruits, Train, who was on Danielle watch. Train was nineteen, six-foot-five, and quite possibly the size of a small house. Hence his name. If he hit you, it would be akin to being hit by a freight train. Booker trusted him with Danielle because Train wouldn’t let anyone past him, and he was wholly loyal to Booker.
Booker headed back downstairs and Johnny met him at the door to the basement. Johnny was Blush muscle, but he had no ties to the Dogs, which meant he only knew what Booker wanted him to know, and it was all under the guise of Blush business.
“Everything okay, boss?” Johnny asked.
Booker nodded. “You find him?”
“Yeah. He’s in the galley.”
Booker headed to the last room on the left, stepping inside the long narrow space, and closing the door behind him. Steven Mills. The man who ruined Dani’s life was duck-taped to a chair in the middle of the room, his laptop open on the table beside him, and one of the Dogs’ soldiers, Grizz, keeping guard.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting,” Booker said, and yanked the tape from his mouth.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Steven demanded.
He didn’t seem afraid which interested Booker. Booker smiled slowly and leaned against the table. “I want to know where the money is.”
“And what money would that be?”
Booker chuckled. “The money you’ve been stealing from unsuspecting women for the last twelve years.”
Steven grinned. “There’s only been one.”
“No,” Booker corrected. “There’s only been one where you’ve been caught. I have uncovered eight others.”
“How the hell did you do that?” Steven snapped.
“That’s not really important.” Booker reached back and grabbed a stack of paper. “But I think the D.A. would be interested in learning about them, wouldn’t they?”
“Fuck you.”
“Sorry, wrong team,” Booker retorted as he thumbed through his research. “You’ve managed to hide four-point-seven million dollars and I’d like to know where it is.”
“Since I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, I can’t help you.”
“I will find the money, Mr. Mills. You can count on it. What you can also count on is that this will go easier for you if you just tell me where it is.”
Steven shook his head. “What if I could give you something more valuable?”
“Like?”
“Like a notorious motorcycle club daughter or perhaps a certain chief of police’s daughter, among others?”
Booker forced himself not to react. Blush couldn’t be traced back to the Dogs, he’d made sure of it, but it was still owned by a shell company that owned other business in the area. Different than Big Ernie’s which could be traced back to the Dogs. “Motorcycle club?”
Steven smiled smugly. “Yeah. Some guy with a bird’s name… Crow, I think. I’d need to check my records.”
Booker studied the file in front of him to keep himself from beating the shit out of Steven. “And why would this be important to me?”
“I get the impression you want money. I can give it to you.”
“And the cop’s daughter?”
Steven chuckled. “She’s this little uptight bitch whose great-grandfather practically built Vancouver and they’re loaded.”
Booker took a deep breath. “I’m still not seeing how these women are more valuable than four-point-seven million.”
“They have K&R insurance on their kids. The bird guy’s kid’s worth four mil, but the chief of police has three kids and each are over ten mil each. You won’t get close to two of them, but Dani’s lives alone and doesn’t own a gun. She’s a lousy lay, but shit, she’s gullible as hell.”
Booker fisted his hand at his side. “And how do you know this?”
“I found it while borrowing Danielle’s information. I don’t even think she knows about it, but I found it, so you can bet someone else will be able to as well. Find some asshole to snatch these people, keep them somewhere isolated and collect the money. Easy.”
Booker studied him. He’d done a thorough vet of Steven Mills. He’d even found the money he’d stolen, although, it was going to take more to get access to it if Steven didn’t offer up the codes. But Booker wasn’t finished with Danielle’s background check…he always did checks on the women he slept with…or planned to sleep with…so the kidnap and ransom insurance hadn’t pinged yet. Steven was right. If an asshole like him could find this information out, someone else could as well.
This put Dani in an even more vulnerable position than Booker had originally thought. Shit. He was going to have to get the brother involved.
“Grizz, take care of Mr. Mills for me.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Steven bellowed.
Booker headed back toward the door, but glanced back. “Don’t kill him, Grizz. Got me?”
“Yeah. I got you. Fuckin’ pissed about it though.”
Booker chuckled. “Maybe next time.”
He walked out of the room to the sound of Steven’s squeals of fear. Booker knew Grizz would rough him up enough to scare him, but not go much further than that. He pulled out his phone out of his pocket and dialed Mack.
“Yo.”
“Can you talk?” Booker asked.
“Yeah, give me a sec.”
Booker heard a female voice in the background and he figured Dani knew her friend well.
“I’m good,” Mack said.
“Need you to find out if Kim has a key to Dani’s place and then get over there and pack her a bag. Enough for a couple of weeks. Bring it to the club. If not, I’ll have Train meet you at her place with a key.”
“No problem. It’s bad?”
“Worse than I thought. Fuckin’ parents have K&R insurance on their kids. Ten mil each.”
“Fuck me, seriously?” Mack said.
“Seriously.” Booker rubbed his forehead. “What I need to find out is if anyone else knows that. Keep an eye on the sister, yeah? Her name’s Emily. The brother can take care of himself.”
“I’ll take care of things on my end and text you.”
“Thanks, brother.”
“’Bye.”
Booker hung up. He was missing something. He just wasn’t sure what. His entire plan to get Dani’s money and reputation back had taken him down a rabbit hole that was leading him to a place he wasn’t prepared to go. A place that could collide with club business.
I VAGUELY REMEMBER being lifted and carried, the familiar smell of Austin filling my senses as I buried my face in his neck, but then I woke up in a strange bed and had no idea how I’d gotten there.
The light from the moon shone through the window and it gave me enough of a visual to see that there was bottled water on the nightstand, which I opene
d and drank greedily. My head was pounding, but not quite as badly as I probably deserved. The small blessings of very expensive tequila.
I threw the covers off and realized I was virtually naked. I had on a T-shirt unfamiliar to me, but it smelled like Austin, so I deduced it was his. My panties were in place, but nothing else.
“Babe,” Austin grumbled.
I started a little and looked behind me. I hadn’t even noticed him in bed beside me.
“Bathroom,” I whispered.
He pointed to the door to the right of the bed.
I headed to the bathroom and flipped on the light. Talk about a room you’d never have to leave. A large tile shower big enough for forty-two thousand people (really… not kidding) had six (counted ’em… six) shower heads. Two sinks were nestled in a long vanity with gorgeous cherry wood cabinetry. The heated tile floor felt amazing under my feet and I passed a huge soaking tub on my way to the little room that housed the toilet. After doing my business I took a minute to study my reflection. God, I looked awful.
“Dani?” Austin called. I was grateful he didn’t come in.
“Just a minute.”
“You okay?”
“Other than looking like a zombie, I’m great.”
He chuckled. “I doubt it’s all that bad.”
“I wish I had my makeup remover.”
“Check the medicine cabinet, babe.”
I pulled it open and found all of my favorite face creams, toners, cotton rounds, and toothbrush and toothpaste.
“Towels under the sink,” Austin said.
“Thanks.”
I took a few minutes to freshen up and then padded back into the bedroom. I was alone, so I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around my waist, and went looking for him. I found him in the kitchen, a bottle of ibuprofen in his hand. “How do you feel?” he asked, all sexy like wearing only a pair of cotton pajama bottoms.
“Hung over,” I said. “What time is it?”
“Four.”
“In the morning?”
“Yeah, babe.”
“I never wake up this early,” I complained.
“Probably the alcohol.” He chuckled. “Like your outfit.”
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